What science tells us about the development journey Jesus experienced in Mary’s womb

The whole purpose of the recent Christmas season was to celebrate the coming of the Son of God in human flesh, a miracle that eventually led to the salvation of all who would believe on Him and His saving work on the cross.

There’s no stronger pro-life message than a young girl from a religiously conservative community getting pregnant out of wedlock and opting to keep the baby, defying the thoughts and beliefs of an entire town.

And that’s precisely the story we have in Mary, the mother of Jesus, and the miraculous conception and birth of the Son of God in human flesh.

Thanks to science and the development of modern technology, we now know the kind of development journey that the Creator of the universe went through inside of Mary’s womb, as it’s the same journey each and every one of us takes in order to enter this world.

This is truly fascinating.

Beginning at the beginning, then, we can confidently say that Jesus became “incarnate,” literally “took on flesh,” about nine months before that distressing night outside the Bethlehem inn.

Dr. Keith L. Moore’s 2011 textbook Human Embryology states: “Human development is a continuous process that begins when an oocyte (ovum) from a female is fertilized by a sperm (spermatozoon) from a male.” The Encyclopedia Britannica’s article on pregnancy puts it this way: “A new individual is created when the elements of a potent sperm merge with those of a fertile ovum, or egg.” That fertilized oocyte, called at that earliest stage of development a zygote, is how Jesus began his life on earth, what Christians call the mystery of the “Incarnation,” when the “Word became flesh.”

At that first moment of conception, Jesus, like everyone at the dawn of his or her existence, had the information encoded in his DNA “sufficient to control the individual’s growth and development for an entire lifetime.”

Jesus’ bodily development would have continued apace from then on. Eighteen days in and his heart would have been forming; around three weeks in and that heart would have begun pumping blood through his body—blood separate from Mary’s circulatory system and of whatever blood type he would have throughout his whole life on earth, a blood type that for all we know would have been different from his mother’s as son’s blood types often are.

More body parts’ formations are noted by Randy Alcorn in his Pro-Life Answers to Pro-Choice Arguments: “By thirty-five days, mouth, ears, and nose are taking shape. At forty days the preborn child’s brain waves can be recorded . . . By forty-two days the skeleton is formed . . . By eight weeks hands and feet are almost perfectly formed, and fingerprints are developing . . . By twelve weeks the child is kicking, turning his feet, curling and fanning his toes, making a fist, moving thumbs, bending wrists, and opening his mouth.”

As if that isn’t enough to make you marvel at this miracle, think about this: Before Jesus was born, as He was developing in the womb, He would have been responsive to Mary’s voice, listening to her when she spoke, already building a bond with the woman set to raise Him.

An article published in Newsweek titled, “Do You Hear What I Hear?” stated that after 32 weeks of gestation in the womb, a human fetus spends half of its time in REM sleep, the brain state where human beings dream. So, while Jesus was in Mary’s womb, he was sleeping and dreaming. What does the Son of God dream about? Cool to meditate on, isn’t it?

Similarly, even before birth, Jesus would have been listening and even responding to Mary’s speech (which was probably Aramaic). The above Newsweek column breaks down a study that tracked mothers reading stories to their children before birth and afterward and was, in the words of the researcher, “the first direct demonstration that human speech has a discernible effect on the fetus.”

These findings of modern science give us a more vivid window into what happened some two thousand years ago in Bethlehem and a greater appreciation for the miracle that is every pregnancy and every new human life.

How awesome to think that the Ruler of the Universe, the Lord of Lords and King of Kings, humbled himself to take on human flesh and go through this developmental process just like one of us? He had to grow up, to learn how to properly hold a pencil, to learn His alphabet, to tie His sandals.

This is a testament to how precious the unborn are in the sight of our Lord. He was unborn Himself at one point. This is an important point to ponder this Christmas season, a reminder that those still in the womb have inherent value and rights, and these vulnerable citizens need each one of us to stand up for them and against the scourge of abortion.

Upcoming Events

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October 26 (Friday) - March 10 (Sunday)

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Nelson-Atkins

4525 Oak Street, Kansas City, MO

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Napoleon: Power and Splendor marks the first exploration of the majesty and the artistic, political and ideological significance of Napoleon’s imperial court from Napoleon’s self-appointment as First Consul in 1799

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Napoleon: Power and Splendor marks the first exploration of the majesty and the artistic, political and ideological significance of Napoleon’s imperial court from Napoleon’s self-appointment as First Consul in 1799 to his abdication in 1814. The Imperial Household was a key institution during Napoleon’s reign. It was responsible for the daily lives of the Imperial family and the day-to-day existence of former general Bonaparte, who became Emperor Napoleon.

The exhibition aims to re-create the ambiance and capture the spirit that prevailed in the French court during the Empire. A selection of works, most of which have never before been exhibited in North America, will reveal the power and splendor of the Imperial Household and its role in fashioning a monarchic identity for the new emperor, his family and loyal entourage.

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If you are new to homeschooling, a well-seasoned veteran, or still on the fence trying to decide what direction is best for your family, we would love to have you

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If you are new to homeschooling, a well-seasoned veteran, or still on the fence trying to decide what direction is best for your family, we would love to have you join us for an information meeting. We have programs available starting at four years of age through high school. At the information meeting, we will be sharing with you about the Christian, classical, and community model that is Classical Conversations. There will be plenty of time for you to ask any questions you might have and also an opportunity to look through some of the curricula we use. Please come join us no matter your level of interest. We would love the opportunity to share with you what has been such a great blessing to our own families. Please RSVP via through the website under the events tab. It is okay to RSVP even if it’s an hour before the meeting. When you RSVP we’ll give you directions on where to enter the building. See you soon!

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(Tuesday) 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

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Deerbrook Covenant Church

200 NE Tudor Road, Lee's Summit, MO 64086

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Fear-Not is a Christ-Centered Support Group for Anxiety and Depression.
We are using material based on the Christian 12 Steps; Serenity Prayer also Anxiety Centre
http://www.anxietycentre.com/
also "The Anxiety/Phobia Workbook" by Edmund Bourne.

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Fear-Not is a Christ-Centered Support Group for Anxiety and Depression.
We are using material based on the Christian 12 Steps; Serenity Prayer also Anxiety Centre

http://www.anxietycentre.com/

also “The Anxiety/Phobia Workbook” by Edmund Bourne. (probably find at the library or on sale online) We have a Yahoo Group (link below) you can join…there is a lot of information in the folders on stress and anxiety… Group home page:

Just stay calm….you are not losing your mind…you are just under a lot of stress….so no big surprise that you are having an emotional reaction that seems very strong….your body is sending you a message “I am on overload”…warning, warning be wise and heed the warning. I was in the deepest miry pit imaginable…and if the Lord can bring me out, I know He can also help others who are struggling.

We meet on Tuesdays from 7-8:30 pm each week. Email fear-not@att.net for more information.

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Amidst a culture shifting like the tide, it is imperative that students are ready to defend “the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 1:3).

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Amidst a culture shifting like the tide, it is imperative that students are ready to defend “the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 1:3). So mark your calendars for Ready, a youth conference held in Kansas City, MO on January 25-26, 2019. This conference features the following guest speakers: Sam Bierig, Brian Davis, Rechab Gray, Owen Strachan, and Jared C. Wilson.

An additional concert with nobigdyl. will be held on January 25. Concert tickets are included in conference registration or can be purchased separately.

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nobigdyl. is an independent hip-hop artist from Nashville, TN. He released his debut album Canopy, which reached #7 on iTunes Hip-Hop Charts, in February 2017. The album was met with

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nobigdyl. is an independent hip-hop artist from Nashville, TN. He released his debut album Canopy, which reached #7 on iTunes Hip-Hop Charts, in February 2017. The album was met with high praise, with the debut single Purple Dinosaur’s video being featured this summer in Journey’s stores across the U.S. He has since released a stand-alone single, Shakira, with Marty of Social Club, whose video has garnered 100,000 views in the first month. As the founding member of indie tribe., a collective of artists independent of mainstream ideals, he seeks to light up the darkness through music. $20 concert only.

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Come for a quiet, relaxing day of encouragement in the middle of the school year! These special retreats are open for all homeschool moms (or those interested in homeschooling). Light

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Come for a quiet, relaxing day of encouragement in the middle of the school year! These special retreats are open for all homeschool moms (or those interested in homeschooling). Light breakfast refreshments, hot drinks, and a beautiful, delicious catered lunch will indulge you as you glean wisdom from God’s word through speaker sessions and visiting with other homeschool moms. The Midwest Parent Educators (MPE) homeschool organization is hosting the annual Women’s Encouragement Day

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Shen Yun invites you to travel back to the magical world of ancient China. Experience a lost culture through the breathtaking art of classical Chinese dance, and see legends

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Shen Yun invites you to travel back to the magical world of ancient China. Experience a lost culture through the breathtaking art of classical Chinese dance, and see legends come to life. Shen Yun pushes the boundaries of the performing arts to make this possible, with a unique blend of colorful costuming, high-tech backdrops, and live orchestra. Be prepared for a theater experience like no other.

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Join Jackson County Historical Society on Holocaust Remembrance Day for a screening of Big Sonia.
Standing tall at 4’8″, Sonia is one of the last remaining Holocaust survivors in Kansas City

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Join Jackson County Historical Society on Holocaust Remembrance Day for a screening of Big Sonia.

Standing tall at 4’8″, Sonia is one of the last remaining Holocaust survivors in Kansas City and one of the only survivors there who speaks publicly about her wartime experience. Sonia’s enormous personality and fragile frame mask the horrors she endured. At 15 she watched her mother disappear behind gas chamber doors. Sonia’s teenage years were a blur of concentration camps and death marches. On liberation day, she was accidentally shot through the chest, yet again miraculously survived. Sonia is the ultimate survivor, a bridge between cultures and generations. Her story must never be forgotten.